Suns dealt with COVID-19 outbreak during Western Conference Semifinals vs. Mavericks

The Phoenix Suns 2021-2022 playoff run came to a screeching halt nearly one month ago in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks. News came out Wednesday morning though that the defending Western Conference champions were not only in a fight against the Mavericks that series, but a battle vs. COVID-19 as well.

“The Phoenix Suns were managing a COVID-19 outbreak as their season fell apart, multiple sources told The Athletic, with six individuals — including one player — testing positive either late in the Western Conference semifinals or the day after Game 7,” a report from Joe Vardon and Sam Amick reads. “With their season on the line, the Suns were destroyed at home by the Dallas Mavericks 123-90 on May 15. One Phoenix assistant coach, Bryan Gates, tested positive after Game 6 and missed the final game, while at least some of the other Suns members indicated to colleagues they weren’t feeling well prior to Game 7.”

The Suns tore through the regular season with a league-best 64-18 record to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and held 2-0 and 3-2 series leads against Dallas. After winning Game 5 at home by 30 points, Phoenix dropped Game 6 on the road and Game 7 at home by a combined 60 points.

Vardon and Amick reported that one player and four staffers tested positive for COVID-19 the day after Game 7. Because of the outbreak, the Suns couldn’t hold season-ending exit meetings between players and coaches in person and instead held a team-wide meeting via Zoom.

“The ordeal raised questions internally about whether they were following the league’s rules for testing. The NBA requires all team personnel, regardless of vaccine status, to test for the virus if they are experiencing symptoms, and they may not play, coach or be at team facilities if they test positive,” the report reads. “‘I think it’s very clear that nobody wanted to report stuff,’ said one source with knowledge of the Suns’ positive tests who was not authorized to speak publicly about them. ‘And this is where it gets dicey.'”

According to The Athletic, the Mavericks had “grown concerned about the rumblings too”, with one Dallas source noting that the discussion about a rumored outbreak with their opponents began as early as Game 5.